Frame for mirrors, pictures, and the like



July 8, 1930. w.'||. THOMPSON 1,770,050

FRAME FOR MIRRORS, PICTURES, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 25, 1929 9.1, J*- if@ M-JW Patented July .8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. THOMPSON, BUFFALO, 'NEW 'YORK FRAME FOB MIRRORS, PICTURES, AND THE LIKE -I Application led Januaryv 25, 1929. Serial No. 335,098.

lThis invention relates to frames for mircludes two opposite side flanges or parts rors, pictures and other articles which are which retain the opposite sides of a picture, so made that the frame may be readily mirror or other article in the frame and which opened or taken apart and assembled, to reflanges are permanently secured in any de move and replace an article. sired manner to the back A. In the con- 5f,

The objects of this invention are to provide struction shown, the back has opposite sides a frame of this kind in which two of the sides thereof bent over toward each other as indare formed or bent into scroll shapes and, cated at B to form the two sides of the frame. when assembled to form a frame, overlap-the This body portion of the frame may conseportions of the edges of other sides to form quently be made in any suitable or desired 55 a frame which is easily constructed and asmanner frolna flat sheet of metal or other sembled; also to provide a frame of this material, and the bending of the sides therekindinwhichthescrollshapededges mayoverof may be effected in an ordinary bending lap the other edges of the frame to vaying machine so that the use of dies is unnecessary l5 degrees to accommodate articles of different for manufacturing this portion of the frame. 60 sizes with which the frame is to be used; also The article X which is to be framed and to provide a'frame of this kind in which the which may be cf any suitable kind such, for scroll shaped edges frictionally and resilientexample, as a picture, mirror or the like, is ly engage the other edges to keep the parts of inserted endwise between the two opposite the frame in. assembled relation to each other; flanges or lsides B of the body portion of the 65 also to provide a means of improved conframe, one or both of the other two sides of struction for locking the removable sides of the frame being left open for this purpose.

the frame together; also to improve the con- One or both of the other two sides of the struction lof frames of this kind in other reframe are finished by means of scroll shaped spects hereinafter specified. members C, which are preferably also formed 70 vIn the accompanying drawing: from sheet material and each Aof which is Fig. 1 is a face view of a frame embodyprovided with a tab or extension D which ing this invention. may be inserted into the open ends of the Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation body portion of the frame preferably bethereof on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged tween the back portion A and the article X 75v scale and partly broken away. or a mat or pad Y, which may be placed be- Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view theretween the back face of the article and the of on line 3-3 of Fig. l. back of the frame to prevent damage to the Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal secarticles by parts of the frame. The tabs are tional view thereof, similar to Fig. 2 but preferably also of such width as to fit at its 80 showing one of the end members about to be opposite sides under the edges or s1des B of placed in its operative position. 'the frame.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the frame show- The scroll whlch forms a continuation of ing one of the end members in position to be the tab or proJectlon D 1s of a diameter con- 40 inserted into its end of the frame. siderably larger than the distance between S5 In the embodiment of this invention which the ends of the sides B and the back of the is shown in the accompanying drawings, the body portion A and is preferably curled or frame includes a body or back portion A bent inwardly to extend over the edge of the which is substantially co-extensive with the article, and the end E thereof is bent abruptentire back of the frame. The frame also inly to extend into the scroll and may be 1n- 90 bending machine` of usual construction, so

that dies, which are usually necessary for the manufacture of frames of this kind are not 'i required for the manufacture of this frame, thereby effecting a material saying 1n expense, particularly when it is desired to make the frames in a number of dill'erent sizes.

The scroll shaped ends C of the frame are preferably made of resilient material so that the curled in portions E may frictionally and yieldingly engage thesides B of the body portion of the frame and thus releasably hold the scroll shaped ends of the frame in place. The tabs D ma be held in place by the friction between t e tabs and the parts of the frame and article or pad, engaged thereby, and by the friction of the curled end portions E on the sides B, or,'if desired, one of these tabs may be permanently secured to the back portion A of the frame When the tabs of the scroll shaped ends or sides are not permanently secured to the body portion A of the frame, they can be inserted to different distances into the open lsides or ends of the body portion so as to accommodate articles X of varying lengths. Consequently the frame embodying this invention is adjustable'so as to cooperate with articles diilering some-v what in len h.

It might e desirable in some cases to provide a frame of this kind with means for locking the scroll sha ed ends of the'frame in place and preferab y such locking means are so formed as to guide vthe scroll shaped ends into ositions accurately at right angles to the si es B of the body portion of the frame. This can be easily effected in the constructionshown by placing a strip of flexible metal or similar material F between the mirror or other article to be framed and the back A of the frame. This strip of metal is preferably of considerable Width and is provided at its ends with legs or portions f which are bent to extend toward the front face of the frame and are preferably so made as to engage the ends of the articles X. These bent parts terminate in outwardly and slightly inclined end portions as is clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. en a retaining strip of this kind is employed, the tabs or projections D of the scroll shaped portions are inserted into the ends of the frame between the back A and the strip F. The inclinations of the ends f' of the strip F and of the inwardly bent ends E of the scrolls are such that these ends of the scrolls can easily ride over the ends of the strip F as indicated in Fig. 4 until the inwardly bent ends E pass beyond the inclined parts f of the strip, whereupon the ends E of the scrolls will, because of their resiliency snap into locking engagement with the upright flanges or parts f of the strip F more because of the width of the stripF, the

scrolls will be securely positioned at right angles to the sides B of the frame and will also be held against movement in either direction lengthwise of the frame.

The scrolls will, of course, be held against l lateral movement by the sides B of the frame so that they will be securely lockedin their correct positions and when in these positions,

the ends of the portions f of the strip F will enga e with portions of the scrolls C, thus rein orcing the end portions of the strip F to better enable these bent end portions to resist the removal of the scrolls C from the frame.

By the use of these strips F, the accurate assembling of the frames is assured, and the speed with which the scrolls can be accurately positioned and locked relatively to other parts of the frame4 is greatly increased, it being merely necessary for an operator to insert the tabs of the scrolls between the strip F and the back A of the frames and then press the two scrolls of each frame toward each other until the scrolls snap into their locking positions. If desired, onev of the scrolls may be permanently secured in its correct position relatively to the back of the frame, for example, by riveting, welding or the like, in which case the article to be Jframed and the strip F are pushed lengthwise between the sides B of the frame until the end of the strip F engages the scroll which is fastened to the back, and the other scroll can then be inserted as already described.

It,will be understood that the strip F may be entirely omitted if desired, for example, in a frame in which it is desired to remove or replace from time to time the articles which are being framed. If desired, other means for resisting the removal of the scroll shaped ends from the frame may be provided.

I claim 1. In a frame for mirrors and other articles, the combination of a back, opposite sides fixed to said back and adapted to confine the opposite sides of an article in correct relation to said back, side members for the remaining sides of said frame and each having a part adapted to enter between the said opposite sides of said frame and having a scroll shaped extension bent over the face of said frame, and a strip of material arranged between said back and said article and having ends bent to engage and extend beyond said article and against said extending portions of which said scrolls are adapted to engage to hold Said side members in correct relation posite sides of an article in correct relation to said back, side members for the remaining sides of said frame and each having a part adapted to enter between said opposite sides of said frame and a scroll shaped extension bent over an edge portion of the face of said frame, and a strip of material arranged between said back and said article and havin hook shaped ends adapted to engage sai scrolls to retain said side members in their operative positions.

3. In a frame for mirrors .and other articles, the combination of a back, opposite sides fixed to said back and adapted to conne opposite sides of an article in correct relation to said back, side members for the remainin sides of said frame and each havin a scro shaped portion arranged to exten over an edge portion of the face of said frame, and a retaining member including a strip of material arranged between the article and said back and having its end portions bent to form angularly extending flanges engaging with said remaining sides of the article and longitudinally extending flanges' adapted to engage with portions of said scroll shaped extensions, said side members having parts ada ted to enter between said retaining mem er and said back of said frame, whereby said side members engage with said retaining member to lock said side members against movement relatively to said retaining member.

4. In a frame for mirrors and other articles, the combination of a back, opposite sides xed to said back and adapted to confinel opposite sides of an article in correct relation to said back, side members for the remaining sides ofsaid frame and each having a part adapted to enter between said opposlte sides of said frame and a scroll shaped extension bent over an edge portion of the face of said frame so as to extend at right angles to said first mentioned sides, and a strip of material arranged between said back and said article and having bent ends adapted to engage with the ends of said scroll shaped extensions and an intermediate portion thereof for lockin said side members in fixed relation to sai strip, the width of the bent ends of said strip being of such width relative to the width of said side members that the engagement of these parts will retain the scroll extensionsof said members at right angles to said first neiliztioned article confnm' g sides on said ac A 5.` In a frame `for mirrors and other articles, the combination of a back, o posite sides fixed to said back and adapte to confine opposite sides of an article in correct` re.-

1at1on to said back, side membersjfor theremaining sides of said frame and each having a part adapt-ed to enter between said opposite sides of said frame and a scroll shaped extension bent over an edge portion of the 

